Plot Summary Review using Plenty of Polacco Picture Books!

We are just starting our last novel unit for the year.  To review a few basics, I grabbed books from one of my favorite picture book authors:  Patricia Polacco.  I'm sure you have read many of her books. Don't you just LOVE them!  I really like them for my Smarties because they have depth for sixth graders.  They make them THINK.  They are usually a little more lengthy, which is perfect for a one period class, and helps my struggling readers because of picture clues.

We needed to review Plot Summary, so I used a Erin's Plot Pyramid from her Interactive Notebooks.  First we reviewed the points together using Just Plain Fancy.

This is a great story that has a little bit of foreshadowing in the beginning when we see a bouncing van heading down the road with the back door open, and Naomi wishing she could have something fancy, which goes against her Amish beliefs.  I wanted to read a single story with my whole group so I could use it as a mentor text later when I review Author's Craft.  Next week I will be teaching foreshadowing, so we will have a common text to refer back to.  I also need to practice a little more grammar skills, so I will be using it for Mentor Sentence work as well.  

After reading the story and doing a plot pyramid I gave each of my students a different Polacco book to read and complete a new plot pyramid.  This is another reason I love Patricia Polacco!  SO MANY BOOK CHOICES!  I could challenge my high readers with books like Bully, and still provide my struggling students with books like Thundercake.

Then they had to work in groups and share their Polacco stories using the Plot Pyramid.  It gave them great practice in summarizing the book and getting to the point!  I also had them make text to text or text to world connections with the story and back it up with specific evidence from their stories.  Oh the conversations and comparisons!  Be still my beating heart!

Look how engaged they are.  I promise I did not pose them for these pictures!

This week we will begin to do something similar with our novels.  I chose novels that have Multiple Perspectives.  Stop back soon and check out how it is going.

Last but not least, I have joined Pinterest!  Use the Pinterest link in the sidebar to follow me.   I love sharing ideas.  Hope to hear from you soon.